The epidermis is a self-renewing tissue, which provides a natural barrier between the organism and the environment. Our research focuses on the dynamic process by which the epidermis maintains the proper balance between proliferation and differentiation during prenatal development and adult stages. Combining classical genetics and modern tools of genomics, we investigate and model the function of DNA binding proteins and pharmacologic agents. We seek to answer fundamental questions about the mechanism by which these epidermal cells maintain this balance during development, after trauma or wounding and throughout life. This work has implications for premature infants, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (eczema), with long term significance for asthma and hay fever.